Xiaomi has done it again with the latest iteration of its wildly popular Redmi Note series. The new Redmi Note 13 Pro 5G impresses as a feature-rich mid-range smartphone brimming with upgrades. Between its gorgeous high-refresh display, capable Snapdragon 7-series chipset, standout 200MP camera, and fast charging, the Note 13 Pro looks to claim the mid-range crown.
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Sleek, Refined Design and Build
While not a radical departure, Xiaomi evolves the Note series design language in an appealing direction. The Note 13 Pro sports slim bezels surrounding its 6.67-inch screen. An unobtrusive centered punch hole houses the 16MP selfie cam. Around back, a rectangular camera bump blends cleanly into the glass rear panel.
Constructed of plastic and Gorilla Glass Victus, the phone exhibits excellent fit and finish. Notably, the Note 13 Pro carries an IP54 rating – a first for Redmi – providing dust and water resistance. At 187g, the phone remains lightweight and comfortable for one-handed use. Available in Midnight Black, Aurora Purple, Ocean Teal and Arctic White, the Redmi Note 13 Pro simply looks and feels like a more expensive device than it is.
Vibrant 120Hz OLED Display with Dolby Vision
The Note 13 Pro’s display immediately impresses with its slim bezels and vibrant 6.67-inch 2412 x 1080 OLED panel. Support for 120Hz refresh rate and 12-bit color allow for smooth, gorgeous graphics and video. Impressively, the screen hits a very bright 1,331 nits peak when adaptive brightness is enabled. It also handles HDR content with aplomb via Dolby Vision and HDR10+.
Put simply, this is one of the best displays found in an affordable mid-range device. Whether gaming, streaming movies, or browsing the web, the Note 13 Pro’s exceptional screen delights.
Snappy All-Around Performance Powered by Snapdragon 7s Gen 2
Under the hood lies Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 platform, providing a nice bump up from the Note 12 Pro’s Dimensity 1080. Daily tasks run smooth as butter thanks to the capable octa-core CPU and Adreno 710 GPU. Our 12GB RAM + 512GB storage model offers more than enough memory for dozens of apps. And 5G connectivity ensures you get the most out of fast networks.
Gaming does induce some warmth over long sessions. But for a mid-range chipset, the Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 allows the Note 13 Pro to punch above its class performance-wise. No slowdowns or hiccups to be found here during testing. Xiaomi delivers excellent processing power at an affordable price point.
Impressive 200MP Primary Camera Captures Loads of Detail
While it retains the same 8MP ultrawide and 2MP macro as its predecessor, the Note 13 Pro’s upgrades lie with its new 200MP Samsung main sensor. At 1/1.4” in size, it’s larger than average with a wide f/1.7 aperture to let in ample light. The results speak for themselves – incredible levels of fine detail, excellent sharpness and generally accurate colors in ideal conditions. Low light performance also impresses thanks to built-in OIS.
Sure, the aux cameras prove less remarkable. But they play secondary fiddle to the truly standout photography achieved via that 200MP lens. For this price tier, it handily outdoes the competition and even gives pricier flagships a run.
Long Battery Life with Blazing 67W Charging
A generous 5,000 mAh battery keeps the Note 13 Pro running well over a full day per charge. Even intensive usage got me through a 14 hour workday with power to spare. When you do need more juice, the phone refuels rapidly thanks to 67W wired charging. I clocked a 42 minute full recharge – very quick for a battery this size.
MIUI 14 Software Brings Helpful Customizations
MIUI 14 based on Android 13 comes pre-installed out of the box. It remains one of the more distinct Android skins around, while offering a wealth of customizations via themes, always-on display options and more. Key upgrades include beefed up privacy controls and minimized system resource consumption. Those annoyances like ads and bloatware don’t make an appearance here.
Long term software support remains a minor Redmi disappointment – buyers can likely expect two major OS updates down the line. But MIUI 14 proves responsive and helpful in enhancing the overall user experience.
Conclusion
With a gorgeous display, excellent camera, speedy performance and long battery life, Xiaomi makes choosing a sub-$500 phone easy for 2023 with the Note 13 Pro 5G. Rarely do you find devices priced this affordable delivering such a complete high-end package. Unless some glaring flaw emerges down the line, the Redmi Note 13 Pro already sets the bar sky high for mid-range mobiles this year.
